


If You Were a Sorcerer

by FirelightLion



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Banter, Caring Arthur, Emotional Vulnerability, Feels, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Nice Arthur, Nightmares, Protective Merlin, Sassy Merlin (Merlin), Woodworms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:54:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23352790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FirelightLion/pseuds/FirelightLion
Summary: Merlin tugged one of Arthur’s arms free. “Would I want you dead, you mean?” he asked, voice almost passing as completely steady. He just hoped Arthur wouldn’t notice the tremble that had sneaked in at the end. Arthur nodded, pulling his other arm loose, and sitting up.“You say that you were a sorcerer in your dream. Were you evil?”Arthur swallowed thickly, looking troubled. “No. I was just me.”Merlin came in front of him, and crouched down to fully meet his eyes. “Then doesn’t that answer your question?”~~~Or, where Arthur has a nightmare that he’s a sorcerer and Merlin comforts him.
Relationships: Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 163





	If You Were a Sorcerer

**Author's Note:**

> This was just an idea for a scene that came to me today. Maybe this will help make up for the fact that I’m behind on my longer work… Enjoy, and stay safe.

“Rise and shine!”

There was a strangled half-asleep yell, as Arthur twisted in his coverings, and promptly fell out of bed, effectively immobilized by his own sheets twined tightly around him.

Merlin crossed over to where Arthur lay on the floor. The prince's face was skewed in a deep set frown, and he seemed uneasy and confused. “Bad dream?” Merlin asked, and Arthur’s shoulders untensed. He glared up at Merlin groggily, before he groaned and rolled over, proceeding in an unsuccessful attempt to disentangle himself. “Yeah,” he mumbled, blinking. “I dreamed that I was a  _ sorcerer _ . Can you  _ believe _ that?”

Merlin raised his eyebrows. “Arthur Pendragon, a sorcerer? Sounds pretty believable to me.”

Arthur either didn’t hear this comment, or ignored it. “And then, my father wanted to execute me, but… for some reason he was asking  _ you _ to do it.”

Merlin gingerly set down Arthur’s fresh clothes on the foot of the bed, and was silent for a moment, before asking quietly, “Did I?”

Arthur paused his ineffective writhing on the floor and squinted at him, then slowly shook his head. “Didn’t get to that part of it. Do you think,” his eyebrows furrowed as Merlin bent down to help him. “So you think you would? If I were a sorcerer, would you—” 

Merlin tugged one of Arthur’s arms free. “Would I want you dead, you mean?” he asked, voice almost passing as completely steady. He just hoped Arthur wouldn’t notice the tremble that had sneaked in at the end. Arthur nodded, pulling his other arm loose, and sitting up. 

“You say that you were a sorcerer in your dream. Were you evil?”

Arthur swallowed thickly, looking troubled. “No. I was just me.”

Merlin came in front of him, and crouched down to fully meet his eyes. He really wanted Arthur to see him now, to  _ know _ that— “Then doesn’t that answer your question?” He would never,  _ could  _ never hurt Arthur. The idea of letting him die was unthinkable. 

Arthur frowned, and shook his head. “No? I don’t understand. If I was a sorcerer, it would mean that I was endangering the  _ kingdom _ . It would be an act of  _ treason _ , Merlin.”

“I don’t care,” Merlin said quickly, surprising them both. “You’re…” he frowned. “You’re my-”

Arthur raised a challenging eyebrow, and Merlin glowered in response. “You’re my friend,” he finally spat out, satisfied by the flicker of surprise that crossed Arthur’s face. “If you were a sorcerer, it wouldn’t change that fact.”

Arthur was looking at him with an expression that seemed an odd combination of admiration and derision. “You really think we’re friends?” he asked finally. “Even though I’m a prince, and you’re a servant?”

Merlin smirked. “Well, if you were a sorcerer I wouldn’t worry about status so much. Especially if your father’s about to have you executed.”

Arthur grudgingly shrugged in acknowledgement. “This conversation is giving me a headache,” he said at last, and pulled his legs out of the sheets. He stood, yawning, and haphazardly tossed the mangled sheet onto the bed. “Fix that.” 

“Yes  _ sire _ ,” Merlin responded impishly.

Arthur rolled his eyes. He then plopped down onto the bed, and, grabbing the shirt Merlin had brought, began dressing himself. This small miracle was not on Merlin’s mind, however.

“Arthur?”

“Mm?”

“What— what would you do if  _ I _ were a sorcerer? Would you want me dead?”

The question seemed to catch Arthur off guard, his hands hesitating as he finished putting on his shirt. “For one thing, you’re not a sorcerer, Merlin. For another, you act so stupid that you’d probably get yourself killed without my help.”

Merlin gave a slight shrug. Arthur wasn’t totally wrong about that last part.

Arthur hunched and put his fist in his cheek thoughtfully. Merlin knew he was about to answer, so he turned around, busying himself with checking the cupboard—for woodworms, maybe—so he didn’t have to watch Arthur’s face. 

“If you were a sorcerer, I couldn’t promise you protection from the law, Merlin. Even if we could be friends. I’m still the prince. It’s my duty to uphold them.” Arthur was looking at him now, and Merlin didn’t need to turn around to sense that. “Even if I don’t like them,” Arthur finished softly, sounding almost sad.

Merlin nodded, swallowing, before turning around again. “Of course.” Arthur didn’t ask what his business with the cupboard was. He was just staring at him, expression unreadable, which was in all ways worse. Merlin felt suddenly pinned under his gaze.

“But I wouldn’t want you dead,”Arthur added at last, holding his gaze a moment longer before breaking away with a sigh, a hand rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “I would never want that,” he muttered, almost inaudibly. He suddenly broke into a forced chuckle. “It’s a good thing we aren’t sorcerers, isn't it?”

Merlin wanted to laugh in response, but at that moment his throat decided to betray him by closing up. He smiled, but knew it looked forced.

Arthur frowned at his silence. “You’re  _ not  _ a sorcerer, are you?” His tone said that he was joking, but only slightly.

Merlin came back from his state and quickly shook his head. “If I were a sorcerer, I would’ve found a way to shut you up by now.”

Arthur looked nonplussed. “Where’s my breakfast, Merlin.”


End file.
